SLUISKIL - Three kids at home, a job as technical coordinator in a printing company, and basically no time for billiard practice. But what a talent the 30-year old Steven van Acker from Eeklo has...In the Dutch top league, the Belgian amateur today beat one of his country's toughest professionals: Eddy Leppens.
The match had proceded to 15-14 after 12 innings, when van Acker suddenly found his groove. Running12, 0, 5 and 19 (!) took him to the finish line in only four innings, to win 50-20 in 16. ,,The best match of my career, and my personal high run'', he said shyly. ,,I was not unfortunate, but I did play well, Leppens did not have a lucky match.''
MCR/De Uitspanning lost a point, A1 Biljarts lost even two in their away match against Eekhoorn (6-2). Buffalo.nl and STZ Zundert did win.
Steven van Acker (Dallinga.com) is not one of the big guns in the Eredivisie, but he is one of the players Dallinga can always count on. He brings atmosphere and friendship to the team, and he often wins his matches. The guys from Zeeland are busy considering their line-up for next season. Frédéric Caudron and Jean Paul de Bruijn will almost certainly stay, but it is as yet unknown for how many matches. And there is once again a place for Steven van Acker. ,,I do hope so, because I enjoy playing here, in the most beautiful billiard room in the Netherlands'', he said on Sunday afternoon, right after Dallinga's draw (4-4) against the table leaders of MCR/De Uitspanning, even though Dallinga missed key players.
Steven van Acker, who made it to the final of the small table 3-cushion tournament at the European Championship in Brandenburg last year, losing that match to Kenny Miatton, performed a miracle against Leppens. It was the story of the amateur and the professional. I hardly ever practice. Two or three times a week I play a match, that's it.''
Bart Ceulemans provided the second surprise of the afternoon. The youngest of the Ceulemans dynasty managed to beat Dave Christiani 50-31 in 32 innings. It was the foundation of a good result for the home team. Both local players, Patrick Vasseur and Berry Dallinga lost.
A1 Biljarts travelled to Oosterhout (Eekhoorn) without Eddy Merckx, who had league obligations in Germany. Eekhoorn still has an outside chance to get to the playoffs, and their 6-2 win over A1 did no harm. The key match was the one between Frans van Kuyk and Raimond Burgman, two of the best players in the Netherlands. The current Master and recent Grand prix winner lost: 50-31 in 24 to van Kuijk. Raymond Ceulemans (against Addy Wienk, 50-39 in 49) and Jerry Hermans (against Gerrits, 50-42 in 41) kept the match points at the campsite.
Buffalo.nl just barely managed to win in Oss against VDO (5-3), because Herman van Daalen is out of form, he lost 50-39 to Wijnen in 60 innings, and Jeffrey Jorissen could only draw against Arie Weijenburg (50-50 in 46). Glenn Hofman (50-43 in 43 against Clemie van Wanrooy) and Jean van Erp (50-31 in 34) against Rudy de Laet got the job done for the Buffalo's from The Hague.
STZ Zundert got the better of De Distel in the West-Brabant derby. Roland Forthomme won a quality match against Gerwin Valentijn (50-46 in 25), Peter Ceulemans in 30) and Raymon Groot sealed the deal. Barry van Beers has an up and down season, today he lost in the home stretch to John Tijssens, 50-45 in 39.
HCR Prinsen drew against 't Hartje, where the top match between Tayfun Tasdemir and Dick Jaspers brought in the spectators. Jaspers won 50-48 in 29. Francis Forton and Frank Martens won for 't Hartje, in 43 and 60 innings.
Post Luchtkanalen did themselves a big favor by beating Holland Mineraal 6-2. Davy van Havere, Henk Habraken and Wilco van Wijk shone for the home team, beating Murat Naci Coklu (50-40 in 26), Stefan Galla (50-40 in 46) and Therese Klompenhouwer (50-36 in 45).
MCR/De Uitspanning stays in the lead with 28 pts and three rounds yet to play, Buffalo following at 27 pts, STZ Zundert at 26 and A1 Biljarts with 25 pts. Eekhoorn is now three points behind A1.
VDO is officially relegated, Post Luchtkanalen and 't Hartje are level on 13 pts, Holland Mineraal two points ahead of them.